The Virginia State Police, in collaboration with Isle of Wight Commonwealth’s Attorney Georgette Phillips, have identified Alan W. Wilmer, Sr. as the person responsible for the 1988 homicide of Laurie Ann Powell. The breakthrough comes after decades of investigation and recent advancements in DNA technology.
Laurie Ann Powell was last seen on March 8, 1988, walking along Route 614 toward Route 17 in Gloucester County. Her body was found weeks later in the Elizabeth River near Craney Island. She had been stabbed multiple times and was 18 years old at the time of her death.
Alan W. Wilmer, Sr., who died in 2017 at age 63 in Lancaster County, Virginia, has also been linked to three other murders: David Knobling and Robin Edwards in Isle of Wight County in 1987—cases associated with the Colonial Parkway Murders—and Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell in Hampton in 1989.
Wilmer did not have any felonies on his record during his lifetime, so his DNA was not collected until after his death for identification purposes. In 2023, the Virginia Department of Forensic Science issued a “Certificate of Analysis” confirming a genetic match between Wilmer and evidence from victims in Isle of Wight County and Hampton.
The case progressed due to efforts by agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Chesapeake and Richmond Field Offices and analysts from the Homeland Security Division’s Violent Crime Analytical Support Team (VCAST). Additional support came from the Virginia Office of the Attorney General Jason Miyares through funding for analytical support and testing via the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). DNA Labs International conducted the forensic testing. The investigation is part of ongoing collaboration among Virginia State Police, FBI, and Hampton Police Department.
Powell’s sister Cindy Kirchner expressed gratitude that her family now has answers: “They want people to remember Laurie Ann as the smart, vibrant, beautiful, and good-hearted person that she was.” Kirchner noted that the tragedy changed her perspective on personal safety—a lesson she has passed on to her daughter.
The family has requested privacy as they process this news and honor Laurie Ann Powell’s memory.
Investigators continue to seek information about Wilmer’s activities during the relevant period. He was known by the nickname “Pokey,” stood about 5’5”, weighed approximately 165 pounds, had sandy-brown hair, blue eyes, a close-cropped beard, and drove a distinctive blue 1966 Dodge Fargo pickup truck with Virginia license plate “EM-RAW.” He also owned a small commercial fishing boat named Denni Wade and worked primarily as a fisherman specializing in clams and oysters during the 1980s. Additionally, he operated Better Tree Service and participated in hunting clubs in the Middle Peninsula region.
Authorities encourage anyone who interacted with Wilmer—whether through work or social activities—to contact Virginia State Police via email or submit anonymous tips as they work to reconstruct his movements and potentially solve other cases connected to him.
